Publications and Resources

On June 25, 2013, President Obama called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to propose a rule to regulate greenhouse gases from existing power plants by June 2014. Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act is likely to be the authority upon which EPA relies to draft the rule. With the...

Water and energy are inherently linked, intersecting at both the supply side (electric generation and water/wastewater facilities) and the end-use side (residential, commercial, industrial, and agriculture sectors). This intersection is commonly called the “energy-water nexus.” The water-energy...

Energy efficiency may be the cheapest, most abundant, and most underutilized resource for local economic and community development. Local leadership and commitment to energy efficiency is strong in many communities around the United States. The specific responsibilities of local governments give...

Much time and effort has been invested in addressing the market barriers that inhibit greater investment in energy efficiency technologies and practices in the buildings sector. In addition to these common and well-known barriers (e.g., split incentives, asymmetrical information, higher first...

Most observers of U.S. energy policy might think of energy efficiency as a useful investment strategy to smartly manage the growth of energy consumption. They might also see it as a cost-effective means to ease our transition into a post-carbon world. And yes, the evidence does support both of...

Over the past several years, energy efficiency financing has been widely viewed as a promising solution to reducing upfront cost barriers to energy efficiency investment. However, several markets, including commercial office markets and the multifamily subsector, remain stubbornly hard to reach...

When appliance standards are revised, the Department of Energy (DOE) looks at the estimated benefits of standards relative to the estimated costs and only sets standards that it finds are cost-effective to consumers. This study compares the projected and actual costs of nine appliance and...

Electric and natural gas utilities could reap substantial rewards by investing in or otherwise encouraging new combined heat and power (CHP) systems in their service territories. The benefits of CHP to individual facilities are well-known, but those benefits are likely less compelling than the...

The United States has had a variety of programs to encourage improved energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings for about 40 years, going all the way back to the 1973 oil embargo. These programs are operated by the federal government as well as states, utilities, municipalities,...

The United States has had a variety of programs to encourage improved energy efficiency in the industrial sector. These programs are operated by the federal government as well as states, utilities, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations. Some of these programs are decades old, though many...

ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency
in Buildings - Papers

Overview / Mission

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. We believe that the United States can harness the full potential of energy efficiency to achieve greater economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection for all its people.